Another Mayan Frog Glyph

Clifford C. Richey May 2013 Revised 5-25-13

It might be helpful to read: http://www.scribd.com/doc/125076415/Universal-Prehistoric-Depicted-Sign-Language when reading this paper as it explains the use of Form, Imagery, Gesture signs, Stance, allusion and position as used in composing glyphs.

Illustration 1: Compare with Illustration 2

Illustration 2: Frog in the Water Photo Credit:

AmberCoakley/BirdersLounge.com

Illustration 3: The Frog

Illustration 4: Color Coded

This glyph (see Illustration 4) is composed of (dark tan) Eyes, a (light tan) Nose and a (pink) Large Mouth together presenting the Imagery of a Frog's Head or Face. The Frog (the one who leaps upward), his Face (his appearance). The metaphor regarding the Frog is one of a creature that has been transformed (from a fish like tadpole to one that is capable of being leaping out of the water onto the land). The relationship to the ancient cosmology was that deceased male members of the culture were changed into female spirits while they were within the domain of the earth-female's watery underworld. They were further transformed into male spirits as they arose to the land's surface at springs or other pools of water originating from the underground. At these pools tadpoles were often seen transforming into frogs. It was from such areas that the spirits of the deceased made their leap upwards to the male sky where they joined their ancestors as stars in the sky. One particular star was Venus that because of its behavior of arising in the east before the Sun was viewed as a helpmate or companion spirit of the Sun, a sort of scout leading the way for the Sun. This star was called by many, metaphorical, names but often was referred to as the Wolf-star (the Wolf being a sign for a scout due to its behavior of standing up in tall grass in order to see any quarry ahead). It was also called the Warrior-star (as the star to which deceased warriors or rather their spirits, ascended). Many warriors were called Warriors of the Sun, metaphorically, Rays of the Sun. Thus they served the Sun both in life and in the afterlife. It should probably also be noted here that the first or most authoritative lineage of many ancient cultures were viewed as descending from the Sun. Many leaders were also called Suns and the Warriors served the greater Sun through such leaders.

Illustration 5: The Flight

Illustration 6: The Eyes

The Frog's Face is dual Imagery. The (blue) Imagery of a Bird in Illustration 4, indicating flight. The center of the Bird Imagery was made in the form of a Bird's Head facing to the left or east). The (tan) Imagery in Illustration 5 being that of two Hands connected by the lower half of a Body in the Stance

(the left leg and Foot indicating the sign for departing). The Glasses like effect of the (black) outline was emphasized as a separate sign that indicated the word for not1. Therefore in the case of the Bird Imagery the meaning would have been, not flying. In Illustration 5, the Eyes of the Frog Imagery were depicted as Hands. This referred to the Hands of the Sun a phrase used to indicate the Hands of the Sun were otherwise known as the Stewards of the Sun or Sun-priests. The Hands, were positioned over the area where the eyes would normally be on the Body of a Frog. Thus the eyes of the Frog are alluded to while the signs over the eye positions are The Hands (the stewards of the Sun, the ones that do the bidding of the Sun). The allusion to the Eyes tells us that the stewards of the Sun were also viewed as the Eyes of the Sun. Metaphorically, the Eye of the Sun was Venus. By alluding to the Eyes which, in gesture signing would normally be represented by two Dots or Circles based on the two Finger tips that first point to the eyes and then away from the eyes with the motion of looking around. But as with the Bird Imagery the larger overriding sign is the Eyeglass like sign that indicates, not --not seen. The three Lines that compose the Fingers of the Hands created the Double Lines (unseen) sign while the third, internal, Line indicates a pathway, the unseen pathway. The Pupils of the Eyes were positioned as on the side implying on the side of the earth. In this section we are informed that the Venus-spirits are not seen and are not in flight. Instead the spirits have only reached the earth's surface the (red) upside down T Form that means, on the surface. The surface Line is was made by the upper line of the Frog's Large (great) Mouth. The Mouth (any mouth) was the sign for a water-source. The great water source.

Illustration 7: Color Coded

His Face, His Appearance, The Frog, He who leaps upwards, The transformed one, The Eye, of the Sun, Venus Seen not, The Hand of the Sun, The Steward of the Sun, His unseen pathway, Turning, on the sides,
1 http://www.gutenberg.org/files/17451/17451-h/17451-h.htm...compare the Maya character for the same idea of negation, Fig. 119, found in Landa, Relation des Choses de Yucatan, Paris, 1864, 316.

The Bird, The one that flies, On the surface, Flying not. There were no signs to indicate direction because in gesture signing, the left hand or side indicated the east and the right hand or side indicated the west. North and south were also derived from these positions. The two Eyes are indicate one in the east and one in the west. Due to the position of the Pupils (that also serve as the protruding bones for the severed Hands) the Eyes appear Cross-eyed. This was probably a reference to the flight of Venus as unlike the other stars that fly in straight lines the movement of Venus appearing in the east and west probably gave rise to the descriptions of Venus as the cross-eyed one. In the east and west, His turning on the sides, (of the earth), The cross-eyed one. The area between the Eyes serves as the Frog's Nose. The Nose alludes to the nasal orifices or holes. The Nose is at the center of the Face. Such cosmological center were viewed as centers and metaphorically, at the center of the earth sometimes described as the center of the earth-female, Such areas may have served as a cultural centers or an area of cosmological focus for the society. The Holes in the surface, At the center, He Stands, Not departing.

Illustration 8: Color Coded

The Very Large (pink) Mouth of the Frog like any Mouth indicates a water source and by its relative size, a great water source. The (blue green) Saw-toothed sign indicates water while the (black) Undulating sign means, movement, moving water. This area, beneath the Mouth, is in the position of the Frog's Throat which is a tube or a tunnel like organ that connects the Mouth to the Bowels of the Body.

The great Mouth, The great water-source, The water, Moving, Taken up, Through the Throat, A tunnel, To the surface, The Straight Line of the Mouth indicating the ground's surface has a slight Shepherd's Hook to it that is the sign for taken. Even if this Hook is not very pronounced the Curve could be construed as a continuation of the water sign.

Illustration 9: Color Coded

Positionally, below the Mouth is a (yellow) relatively Large Double Lined (unseen) U shaped sign indicating a great turning. Within the Upper part of this U is a (dark tan) horizontal Leg and Foot indicating, the long walk down (Stance of the Foot) positionally, the side. Below the Leg/Foot we find another set (yellow) of Double Lines (unseen) which are in the Form of the sign for covered. Positionally below, is the Form of a Large Eye, the great Eye of the Sun, Venus. Below it, The moving water, The great turning, Unseen, The Walk, Downward, On The side, (of the earth) Unseen, The Great Eye, Venus Unseen.

Illustration 10: Color Coded

His Face, His Appearance, The Frog, He who leaps upwards, The transformed one, The Eye, of the Sun, Venus Seen not, The Hand of the Sun, The Steward of the Sun, His unseen pathway, Turning, on the sides, The Bird, The one that flies, On the surface, Flying not. In the east and west, His turning on the sides, (of the earth), The cross-eyed one. The Holes in the surface, At the center, He Stands, Not departing. The great Mouth, The great water-source, The water, Moving, Taken up, Through the Throat, A tunnel, To the surface, Below it, The moving water, The great turning, Unseen, The Walk, Downward, On The side, (of the earth) Unseen, The Great Eye, Venus Unseen.